This application claims the priority of German Application No. 100 02 244.8, filed in Germany Mar. 18, 1999, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention refers to a process for active cleaning of windows of a vehicle.
In German Patent publication DE 196 05 927 A1, for example, a process for active cleaning of windows in vehicles has been presented. In this known process a window wiper arm is used that includes a wiping blade and a tool to apply the cleaning fluid to the window. Hereby, the tools for application of the cleaning fluid in the form of jets are structured in such a way, that in relation to the longitudinal direction of the wiping blade, it can only be applied to one side of the wiping blade, the underside, when viewed in a resting position. In the process described in this publication the cleaning fluid is applied to the window in particular then, when the windshield wiper is moving in the opposite direction to the side on which the jets are, namely, when the window wiper arm is in the upward motion. This process, in connection with a prescribed cycle time of the window wiper arm makes it possible after an upward movement, that is after the first half of the wash cycle, to achieve an excellent cleaning result, however, preferably, it can only be used when the vehicle is standing, since visibility would be severely impacted.
In German Patent publication DE 196 03 830 A1 an arrangement for active cleaning of windows, in particular of windshields of vehicles, is described in which bilaterally in the longitudinal direction of the wiping blades, jets are indicated for application of the cleaning fluid. Here too, the cleaning effect is the primary focus without consideration of the influence on diminished visibility.
Therefore, it is a task of the invention to improve the process of the above mentioned type in such a way, that despite a guarantee of a good cleaning result, a reduction in visibility for the driver is avoided.
This problem is solved according to preferred embodiments of the invention by providing a process for active cleaning of window panes of a motor vehicle with a window wiper arm that comprises a wiping blade and mechanisms for application of cleaning fluid onto the window pane whereby the mechanisms for the application of the cleaning fluid are arranged and/or are controllable in such manner that, in relation to the longitudinal direction of the wiping blade the cleaning fluid is applied to a defined side of the wiping blade in the following steps:
waiting for activation of an active cleaning switch, and
applying a prescribed first quantity of cleaning fluid after the start of the activation of the active cleaning switch, fundamentally only when the window wiping arm is moving in a direction of the defined side of the wiping blade.
The expression active cleaning refers in particular to a wiping with additional washing function through application of a cleaning fluid, like for example, pure water or water with cleaning substances. Most of the time, the additional washing function is activated by the driver by manual engagement of the active cleaning switch, e.g., in the form of a so-called washing pump switch. The active cleaning switch can, however, also be activated automatically through a control device that, for example, detects the degree of dirtiness of the window.
The tools to apply the cleaning fluid, e.g., the cleaning water jets can be placed relative to the longitudinal direction of the wiping blades or the wiping lip, either unilateral, that is, viewed at rest from above or below, or can be attached bilaterally. For bilateral placement of these tools it is in line with the invention to make one-sided control of these possible.
Activation of the active cleaning switch can either occur in a rest position or when the movement of the window wiper arm has already been started.
Important for preferred embodiments of the invention is the application of the cleaning fluid or a prescribed first significant amount of cleaning fluid, fundamentally only when the window wiper arm pushes this cleaning fluid in front of itself almost simultaneously with the application to the window. The invention prevents, that the cleaning fluid reduces visibility of larger areas of the window for longer periods of time. On the other hand, on account of the quick removal, a large quantity of cleaning fluid can be applied without reducing visibility.
The prescribed second quantity of the cleaning fluid which is smaller than the first quantity that is applied when the window wiper arm moves in the opposite direction in relation to the arrangement of the tools for application of the cleaning fluid, can also be zero. If the prescribed second quantity of the cleaning fluid is not zero, it is preferably chosen to be at most of such a quantity that adequate visibility is still guaranteed, the driver, however, can see the wetted window panes. With this, irritations are being prevented that could possibly exist for some drivers, because despite activation of the active cleaning switch no cleaning fluid is applied for half of a wash cycle.
The segmentation of the wiping angle area into a no-wash area and a wash area has the advantage that energy and cleaning fluid can be saved in the no-wash area. The no-wash area is defined simply by a briefly remaining angular path of the window wiper arm at the end of the wipe cycle half, so that an application of cleaning fluid in that area would not be efficient.
The wash area in turn is divided into a main wash area and a partially wetted area. At the beginning of the activation of the active cleaning switch in the partially wetted area, one starts with an angular path of the wiper that is too short to achieve a good cleaning result. Therefore, a second wash program is undertaken.
The second wash program is also executed when, on account of the length of the activation of the active cleaning switch at the command of the driver, it can be concluded that a longer washing function is intended.
The first and the second quantity of the cleaning fluid can be set by timing of the washing pump.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.